Monkeypox is not the new COVID: WHO rules out drastic comparisons

The public health emergency for mpox was declared on August 14 after the increase in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi)

The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Tuesday that the outbreak of mpoxformerly known as monkeypox, is not comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to His clevernessWHO European director, a lot is already known about the virus and how to control it, which suggests that the spread of mpox can be contained.

The mpox outbreak has recently expanded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring areas, prompting the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14. Unlike the 2022 outbreak that primarily affected gay and bisexual men with the clade 2b strain and was successfully controlled, the recent outbreak involves the clade 1b strain, considered more contagious and more severe, according to Reuters.

Kluge, during a press conference in Ginebrastressed that “mpox is not the new COVID” and said they know how to control mpox thanks to direct interaction with the most affected communities. This control has been achieved through robust surveillance, contact investigation and public health advice, according to CBS News. So far, the risk of the virus to the general population remains low.

WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against MPOX, but rather its use in outbreak situations for higher-risk groups (REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi)

Tarik JasarevicWHO spokesperson said mass vaccination is not recommended and stressed that vaccines should be used in outbreak situations for groups that are most at risk.. The main route of transmission of mpox remains close skin-to-skin contact, although Kluge mentioned that it is possible that an infected person, especially with mouth blisters, could transmit the virus through droplets in close living situations, according to Reuters.

The recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to a significant increase in cases, with around 16,000 infections recorded since the beginning of 2024, according to reported data. Other countries such as Sweden y Filipinas Cases have also been reported outside the African continent, raising international concern.

The new mpox clade 1b strain detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo appears to have a high rate of transmission through sexual networks, according to experts. This differs from the epidemiology in Africa, where mpox is substantially transmitted mainly through close contact within households and not necessarily through sexual contacts, according to experts. TODAY.

The transmission rate of the clade 1b strain in the recent outbreak is considered high through sexual networks, experts say (REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi)

In Central Africa, a lack of awareness has exacerbated the outbreak. Awareness campaigns have been carried out in affected areas, such as the internally displaced persons camp in Nyiragongo, near Gomain the province of North Kivu. These efforts seek to educate the population about the modes of transmission and prevention measures, according to Reuters.

Despite the increase in cases, Experts believe the situation can be controlled with a coordinated response. including enhanced surveillance measures and targeted vaccination campaigns. Since the declaration of emergency, health officials have worked to scale up these efforts locally and internationally.

The doctor Onyema Ogbuaguinfectious disease specialist Yale Medicinementioned that the clade 1b strain requires further research to fully understand its transmission characteristics and severity. He agreed that mpox does not cause the same level of alarm as respiratory viruses such as COVID-19but one should not lower one’s guard, according to TODAY.

Surveillance measures and vaccination campaigns are helping to contain the mpox outbreak, according to health officials (Alain Jocard/Pool via REUTERS)

Globally, travel alerts and recommendations have been implemented to avoid close contact with people who have skin rashes that appear to be mpox. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 2 alert for travelers heading to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries, advising them to take extra precautions.